King Jean, or John, II was King of Cyprus who left an illegitimate heir which caused the reign of Kings of Cyprus to die out at the hands of the Venetians.

He is one of my maternal 13 x great-grandfathers.

Jean, or John, was born on Monday, 16 May 1414 in Nicosia, Cyprus1 2. He was the son of King Janus of Cyprus and Charlotte of Bourbon3 4 5.

He was an effeminate man, and tall for his age6. His legs were so fat, his ankles were the same size as his thighs7.

A painting of King John II of Cyprus
King John II of Cyprus

Titles

On Sunday, 12 May 1416, he became Prince of Antioch8.

On Tuesday, 14 August 14329 10 11 12, he succeeded his father as King Jean II of Cyprus. Brother Solomon crowned him on Friday, 24 August in Santa Sophia, Nicosia13.

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Family

He married Amadea Palaiologina of Montferrat by proxy on 23 December 143714 or on Friday, 17 April 144015 16. She later travelled to Cyprus, on 27 May 144017, and they married in person on Sunday, 3 July 144018 19 20 in the Hagia Sophia in Nicosia.

Amadea died after two months on Sunday, 13 September 144021 22.

John II married the Greek Helena Palaiologina, daughter of the despot of Morea23, in 144124 or on Thursday, 3 February 144225 26 27. Together, they had two daughters28:

  • Charlotte, who married Prince John of Portugal, the Duke of Coimbra29.
  • Cleopha who died in infancy.

John II also had an illegitimate son, James, by Mary or Marietta from Patras30 31.

Morea was the medieval name for the Peloponnesian peninsula, which is also where Patras is. John must have had a thing for women from this part of the world!

Death

He died in Nicosia, Cyprus on Saturday, 24 July32 or Monday, 26 July33 34 or Wednesday, 28 July 145835 36 37 38 39.

We don’t know why he died but he was of unsound mind towards the end of his life40. They held his funeral on 3 August41. They buried him in the Nicosia Dominican Church42 43.

References

  1. Medieval Lands; Charles Crawley; (Retrieved 2018-04-25) [↩]
  2. A History of Cyprus; Sir George Francis Hill; Cambridge University Press; 2010-11[↩]
  3. Medieval Lands; Charles Crawley; (Retrieved 2018-04-25) [↩]
  4. A History of Cyprus; Sir George Francis Hill; Cambridge University Press; 2010-11[↩]
  5. List of Cypriot sovereigns; Royal Tombs; (Retrieved 2024-05-21) [↩]
  6. A History of Cyprus; Sir George Francis Hill; Cambridge University Press; 2010-11[↩]
  7. A History of Cyprus; Sir George Francis Hill; Cambridge University Press; 2010-11[↩]
  8. Medieval Lands; Charles Crawley; (Retrieved 2018-04-25) [↩]
  9. A History of Cyprus; Sir George Francis Hill; Cambridge University Press; 2010-11[↩]
  10. List of Cypriot sovereigns; Royal Tombs; (Retrieved 2024-05-21) [↩]
  11. Leventis Municipal Museum of Nicosia; As observed by author; 2022-04-10[↩]
  12. The Manuscript Torino J.II.9: A late medieval perspective on musical life and culture at the court of the Lusignian kings at Nicosia; Andrée Giselle Simard; University of Akron; 2005-12[↩]
  13. The Manuscript Torino J.II.9: A late medieval perspective on musical life and culture at the court of the Lusignian kings at Nicosia; Andrée Giselle Simard; University of Akron; 2005-12[↩]
  14. A History of Cyprus; Sir George Francis Hill; Cambridge University Press; 2010-11[↩]
  15. Medieval Lands; Charles Crawley; (Retrieved 2018-04-25) [↩]
  16. List of Cypriot sovereigns; Royal Tombs; (Retrieved 2024-05-21) [↩]
  17. A History of Cyprus; Sir George Francis Hill; Cambridge University Press; 2010-11[↩]
  18. Medieval Lands; Charles Crawley; (Retrieved 2018-04-25) [↩]
  19. A History of Cyprus; Sir George Francis Hill; Cambridge University Press; 2010-11[↩]
  20. The Manuscript Torino J.II.9: A late medieval perspective on musical life and culture at the court of the Lusignian kings at Nicosia; Andrée Giselle Simard; University of Akron; 2005-12[↩]
  21. Medieval Lands; Charles Crawley; (Retrieved 2018-04-25) [↩]
  22. A History of Cyprus; Sir George Francis Hill; Cambridge University Press; 2010-11[↩]
  23. Leventis Municipal Museum of Nicosia; As observed by author; 2022-04-10[↩]
  24. Leventis Municipal Museum of Nicosia; As observed by author; 2022-04-10[↩]
  25. Medieval Lands; Charles Crawley; (Retrieved 2018-04-25) [↩]
  26. List of Cypriot sovereigns; Royal Tombs; (Retrieved 2024-05-21) [↩]
  27. The Manuscript Torino J.II.9: A late medieval perspective on musical life and culture at the court of the Lusignian kings at Nicosia; Andrée Giselle Simard; University of Akron; 2005-12[↩]
  28. Medieval Lands; Charles Crawley; (Retrieved 2018-04-25) [↩]
  29. Leventis Municipal Museum of Nicosia; As observed by author; 2022-04-10[↩]
  30. Medieval Lands; Charles Crawley; (Retrieved 2018-04-25) [↩]
  31. A History of Cyprus; Sir George Francis Hill; Cambridge University Press; 2010-11[↩]
  32. Medieval Lands; Charles Crawley; (Retrieved 2018-04-25) [↩]
  33. Medieval Lands; Charles Crawley; (Retrieved 2018-04-25) [↩]
  34. A History of Cyprus; Sir George Francis Hill; Cambridge University Press; 2010-11[↩]
  35. Medieval Lands; Charles Crawley; (Retrieved 2018-04-25) [↩]
  36. List of Cypriot sovereigns; Royal Tombs; (Retrieved 2024-05-21) [↩]
  37. Leventis Municipal Museum of Nicosia; As observed by author; 2022-04-10[↩]
  38. Cipro Veneziano; Evangelia Skoufari; Rome; 2011 [↩]
  39. The Manuscript Torino J.II.9: A late medieval perspective on musical life and culture at the court of the Lusignian kings at Nicosia; Andrée Giselle Simard; University of Akron; 2005-12[↩]
  40. Medieval Lands; Charles Crawley; (Retrieved 2018-04-25) [↩]
  41. A History of Cyprus; Sir George Francis Hill; Cambridge University Press; 2010-11[↩]
  42. Medieval Lands; Charles Crawley; (Retrieved 2018-04-25) [↩]
  43. List of Cypriot sovereigns; Royal Tombs; (Retrieved 2024-05-21) [↩]

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